5 Reasons To Join The Lighthouse Club WorldWide
Posted by Richard Poulter, Construction Recruitment Director, Hong Kong on Monday, July 10, 2023
The Lighthouse Club is a non-political networking and fellowship organisation which supports the construction industries in many locations including Hong Kong. The club has a busy calendar organising social and fundraising events, the monies raised supporting those less fortunate within the industry who fall victim to accident or ill health.
Eddie Ward and a group of construction industry pals with no doubt a Quantity Surveyor, a Planner and Project Manager amongst them, shared a light-hearted evening back in 1956, attending a public works exhibition in Tyneside in the north of England. They enjoyed the camaraderie so much that they pledged there and then to establish a club “for the furtherance of good fellowship among people in the construction industry”.
Their cheery yet serious pledge was being illuminated at the time by the lighthouse across the shores of Whitley Bay………… and so the club was aptly named!
Get connected with a community
Lighthouse Clubs or “chapters” have emerged around the world since 1956 and continue to provide a fantastic community for those in the industry in UK, the United Arab Emirates, throughout South-East Asia and Australia. Mental health is such an important issue to try and tackle as every single working day in UK, two construction workers take their own life. If you ever feel like you need to talk to someone, please do get in touch;
Give back to the industry
For those who have been fortunate to have enjoyed exciting and fulfilling careers in construction, the Lighthouse Club provides a wonderful platform to give back to industry. Either by joining a Lighthouse Club as a Committee member and organiser or donating at a social and fund-raising event or by sharing industry knowledge and best practice at one of the numerous conferences and seminars arranged globally by the various Lighthouse Club chapters. Lighthouse Club Hong Kong has recently launched a mentorship program where members are currently supporting undergraduates and recent graduates as they embark on their own construction career path.
Raise funds to support those in need
Typically, a Benevolent Fund is established along-side each club, managed by a Board of Trustees. Whether you’re a corporate member looking to deliver on your CSR program or an individual member keen to make a difference, joining the Lighthouse Club and regularly attending events will most certainly help to raise money to support those in need whether a victim of a construction related accident or a health related illness whilst employed within the industry.
So far over £20 Million has been distributed to those construction industry folk in need within the UK and approximately HK$2 million each year is distributed to those less fortunate within the Hong Kong construction industry. You don’t need a Commercial Manager in West London or a Quantity Surveyor in Hong Kong to calculate the magnitude of these valuable achievements!
Network and Have Some Fun
Clubs across the world operate independently each with the common thread of fellowship and benevolence. Clubs organise a host of exciting events throughout the year ranging from monthly social gatherings, golf days, BBQ’s and Annual Balls. You’ll see some of the biggest corporates within the construction industry regularly attend these events. Whether you are young or not so young, what an excellent place to network, share best practice, swap war stories and have some fun!
Lighthouse Club Hong Kong recently held their Annual Ball – A Silver Soiree, which I helped to organise and we were fortunate to have Steve and Daria from the Maxim Recruitment office in the UK office attend. By all accounts we all thoroughly enjoyed the evening!
Secure Your Next Job
Construction careers can take the most positive of directions from an informal chat with a colleague at the Lighthouse Club. From client-side project management jobs to expert witness jobs, please look up a Lighthouse Club near to you and go along to see what its all about. It’s a fabulous cause and you never know where it might take you!
The Maxim team has been involved with and supporting the Lighthouse Club in Hong Kong since 2010 and proud to be able to give back to the industry…….as well as doing a little networking now and again too!!!
And whilst on the subject of jobs, please take a look at the following crop of exciting jobs we have available from the Maxim Recruitment Hong Kong office:
Senior BIM Modeller Hong Kong Airport
Associate Director Delay Analysis, Hong Kong
Institute of Construction Director, Hong Kong
Senior Consultant Contracts and Claims Australia
Happy networking & I hope to see you at a Lighthouse gathering!
Richard has successfully recruited for the construction industry for the past 13 years following 15 years as a civil engineer and construction project manager. He is based in Hong Kong and responsible for Maxim Recruitment operations in Hong Kong, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.